Ultra Marathon Training Guides to help you be a better Ultra Runner

That’s most of us then – because most of us don’t get paid to do this ultra running lark. Most of us have jobs, a Significant Other and/or Small People, travel we have to do, deadlines we have to meet, bills we have to pay and a DIY list we have to get through.

Last month, I suggested many of us could improve our ultra performance by utilising heart rate zones to optimise your training. I explained how to set your zones but, once you’ve done this, how do you use them to improve your training?

A Training Plan Framework for… Newbie Baby: age 27, time-poor, city-bound working 50-55 hours/week plus 45 minute commute each end, single or in a relationship, history of regular physical activity but running limited to 5-10km events and strength work limited to class-based workouts.

In the first of a three-part series, James Eacott looks at setting heart rate zones. This will be followed by how to use your heart rate zones and then how to evaluate your zones and use them in training…

Whether you lace up your kicks in Japan or California, France or the UK, chances are you’re preparing to hit the trails under a fairly intense sun. The world over trails are parched and runners are struggling to cope with training and racing in the heat.

The best predictor of how well you might perform at your next ultra is your training. We believe – rightly so, to an extent – that the better we train the better we’ll perform. Indeed, the amount of work you put in generally equals what you get on race day.

Calf injuries are very common in sport, accounting for 13% of football muscle injuries and more again in runners. It may be felt as a sudden sharp pain at the back of the lower leg causing you to immediately pull up or something more insidious that just builds up during your run.

As soon as the clocks change at the end of March, for most it marks a shift not only in our mood but also our motivation. There is something about the promise of longer days and warmer temperatures that encourages a sense of opportunity to enhance and optimise our training.